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Niger crisis: Don urges ECOWAS to prioritize diplomatic solutions

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Niger crisis: Don urges ECOWAS to prioritize diplomatic solutions
A don, Prof. Kamilu Fagge has urged the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to prioritize diplomatic solutions to resolve current political impasse in Niger Republic.
It will be recalled that Niger, one of the 15 member states of the ECOWAS had been enmeshed in political imbroglio sequel to Coup d’eta.
In a swift reaction, the ECOWAS imposed series of sanctions against the junta and threatened military action if the coup leaders failed to restore the ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
Fagge, a lecturer with the Department of Political Science, Bayero University, Kano, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), of  Wednesday in Kano.

He stressed the need for the Commission to embrace dialogue and diplomatic response to the situation.

“The best way is for the leaders to sit down to negotiate through diplomatic response to achieve an amicable political solution.

“In some cases you buttress your diplomacy with a show of force but the most stable way of resolving the crisis is through dialogue.

“This is not the first time we are having similar things, there are a lot of instances when either ECOWAS, African Union (AU) or United Nations promote dialogue and negotiations between the coup leaders and the third force want to negotiate.

“And when you reach that conclusion sometimes it is so stable.

“The irony of it is that, in this case, many of the people who are now calling for war or intervention in Niger, actually if you look at them, they too staged coups in their countries. Some were military leaders who have now ‘civilianise’, some are civilians but they staged civilian coup by distorting the constitution, and  by getting themselves into office for so many years.

“We have not exhausted all those options yet, we have to exhaust those options first before opting for war.

“And in any case, war should not be an option,” he said.

According to Fagge, people welcome democratic government because it allows for freedom of expression and it comes about as a result of the concept of the people and also it is the people that decide who would rule them.

“Democracy is important in the eyes of the people. It is a government that engenders development. This is because it is accountable to the people, it promotes development and peace.

“Once you have people there are bound to be differences,” he said.

Fagge warned that the conflict portends serious economic implications for both the country and the region at large, adding the closure of Nigeria’s borders with Niger Republic compounded the problem of hunger and poverty among its citizens.

“Nigeriens get most of their things here and Nigeria is also bearing the brunt of this decision.

“It has been estimated that Nigeria loses not less than N13 billion every week by stopping trade with Niger.

“And there are speculations that Nigeria and Niger trade is a formal trade that accounts for over N170 billion annually.

“While the informal trade between the two countries accounts for over N580 billion annually.

“So, when you put these things together, it range from N900 billion to about N1 trillion that we are going to lose in terms of trade.

“Most of the people to be affected are Nigerians who are business people transacting all sorts of businesses with Nigeriens.

“This has serious economic implications for both countries and for the region as a whole,” he said

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ACAGL, 23 affiliate organizations Withdraws Support for Nationwide Protest

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Kano- The Arewa Citizens’ Action for Good Leadership (ACAGL) and 23 other affiliate organizations in Kano State have announced their decision to withdraw support from the proposed nationwide protest, citing concerns over the potential for violence and instability.

Addressing the press conference, Comrade Saeed Sulaiman Umar, the spokesman for ACAGL, said the severe economic hardship and insecurity facing the country.

“The economic woes and general hardship are prevalent in Nigeria today,” Umar said. “Many hardworking people can no longer fulfill their basic responsibilities to their families.”

Initially, ACAGL actively participated in mobilizing people for the nationwide protest, considering the dire conditions of insecurity, hunger, and starvation.

According to him after careful consideration, they decided to withdraw from the planned protest.

He said the decision is borne out of the desire to prioritize the peace and stability of our Kano State and the northern region,”

He said . “We have witnessed the devastating effects of protests in some countries, where peaceful demonstrations escalated into violent conflicts, resulting in loss of lives and destruction of property.”

Despite their withdrawal, ACAGL said there is the need for urgent government action to address the pressing issues affecting Nigerians.

They called on the Kano State government to provide immediate relief to its citizens and presented several demands to the Federal Government, including tackling insecurity, reducing petrol prices, reversing electricity tariffs, and reducing the cost of governance.

“We believe that the timing of the protest is not in the best interest of the nation and may only serve to exacerbate the existing challenges,” Umar concluded.

 

 

 

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We can comfortably handle LG elections- INEC chair tells NASS

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said Thursday it can comfortably handle the conduct of local government elections if the responsibility falls on it.

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of the commission, made the disclosure when he appeared before the joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters on preparations for the upcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States.

According to the chairman, INEC has the capacity to handle the local government elections, but that would only be possible pending when the law is amended to permit it to do so.

Prof. Yakubu noted that the Commission had been conducting area council elections in the Federal Capital Territory, which has been devoid of the problems associated with the conduct of local government elections.

He outlined some advantages of INEC handling elections, including the conduct of regular elections as they are due, stability of tenure, and absence of a caretaker committee in the FCT.

The election umpire boss also claimed that there has never been a time when one political party has won all the seats at the elections, as is common in the states.

According to him, if INEC handles the election, it would be better for democracy.

Yakubu, however, said this can only happen if the constitution is amended to take the responsibility from state electoral commissions.

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Doguwa dumps APC, gives reason

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Kano- The All Progressives Congress (APC)  has lost a strong member in Kano as Senator Masaud El-Jibril Doguwa dumped the party.

Doguwa made this announcement through a statement where he spoke on behalf of his colleagues and associates, on Thursday on reasons for dumping the party.

According to the statement, he cited the feelings of underutilization and the party’s implementation of anti-people policies as reasons for their departure from the APC..

He despite their wealth of experience in politics, they were rarely involved in party forums to share their expertise and contribute to the development of the APC.

“In politics, if you fail to engage highly experienced politicians by providing them with political assignments, you are making them politically redundant, and giving them room to struggle and engage themselves elsewhere. This is because highly experienced politicians don’t want to stay idle,’’ the statement said.

He further expressed disappointment with the APC government’s policies, which he believes are harmful to ordinary citizens. “After careful appraisal, I have discovered that some of the policies are anti-people-oriented and do not align with our political ideology.’’

“These policies are causing more harm and concern than good to the ordinary and common citizens of the country.

“From what we have seen happening in APC, we have not seen light in the tunnel where an ordinary man, big or small, will sigh a relief from the burden of life with the APC approach on issues.”

Senator Doguwa revealed that they have been appealed to by friends and leaders to return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which they helped establish and develop. “We have taken a bold decision to return to our political base, the PDP, to continue as full-fledged members,” he declared.

He emphasized that their decision was made without malice towards any individual or group, expressing gratitude and seeking God’s blessings.

 

 

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